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It's Fun to Play the Piano ... Please Pass It On!

Hello. I have been lurking for awhile, and didn't think I'd be posting much so I didn't introduce myself. But this forum is so fun and I've found myself posting a lot, so I thought I would take the liberty of introducing myself.

I started playing piano just over 6 years ago. I played clarinet, classical and rock guitar and other instruments over the years, but had always wanted to play piano. Also, after I got married I got back into classical guitar but after a certain level, I was never really able to progress. I wanted a piano, and my husband, seeing me flounder at guitar, said "if you don't play it, it will end up just being like a huge piece of garbage in the house that we have to dust under." I promised I'd practice (felt like a 12 year old! :rolleyes: and we went piano shopping. Now he can't tear me away from the keyboard and calls me a piano-addict.

This forum is really great, and everyone seems so friendly. It looks like I can learn a lot from everyone here, and maybe sometimes I'll have something helpful to contribute. Thanks for reading!

P.S. ShiroKuro is Japanese for "white and black," as in the colors of a piano keyboard of course.

Welcome ShiroKuro! If you've already been playing for 6 years I think YOU[/b] should be answering our questions most of the time. I'm curious, have you studied with the same teacher the entire time? Also, what pieces are you playing right now?Jon

jdsher, thank you for the vote of confidence! If there's one thing I might talk about with confidence, it would be how to start as an adult and not give up, how to take yourself seriously as a budding (as oppossed to wilting) pianist etc.

Since I didn't start piano until age 30 (oh, now you know how old I am I still consider myself an adult beginner. I find that, in terms of my "piano needs" and what I struggle with etc, I don't have much in common with people who've played piano since they were kids.

When I first started, we lived out in the country and there wasn't anyone to teach me close by, so I practiced on my own for maybe 4 months. I taught myself the bass clef (already knew treble) and then worked through a very easy songbook so I could play a simple song or two.

Then we moved (thank goodness) and I looked for a teacher right away. I called around and asked lots of questions on the phone, had a trial lesson with someone who was awful, finally met my teacher and I have been taking lessons from her ever since.

Right now I am playing George Winston's Variations on Pachelbel's Canon (do you know it? I find it much more challenging than the standard arrangements. I've been working on it for months) Also since Christmas is over, I just started 2 new pieces, short songs by the Japanese composer Joe Hisaishi.

For Christmas this year I worked up a full set (by my definition! seven songs) of Christmas songs (most were very easy arrangements and two were more elaborate) and I played them at two Christmas parties. (and failed horribly at the first one!

I also have a set of songs that I always try to keep "playable" so that I can play for people when they come over etc. I play one of these songs almost very day so that they remain playable.

My playable list includes a standard arrangement of the Canon in D, Summer by Joe Hisaishi, and a simpler (but very nice) version of the main theme from the movie The Piano. I also love to sing and accompany myself, so I sometimes play/sing Let It Be (a bit low for a woman to sing to, but don't tell anyone) and a few Japanese pop songs.

I always wanted to be able to play for people, and early on in my practice I had the experience of playing a song in a recital (from memory) and then a few months later, someone asked me to play it and I couldn't even finish the first few measures. After that, I made it a goal to develop a set of songs that I could always play, and now I try to keep adding to that.

Also, I play Christmas songs every year and another goal is to increase my Christmas set each year. This has helped my reading too because I play some of the same songs every year, so rather than fully memorize them, I try to be able to play from sight (I say it this way b/c it's not sight-reading since they are songs I know). This year was the first year that I actually played my Christmas set out in public though. I'm a shaky-hand person, so it's a constant challenge.

Well, now I've just rambled on forever here! Sorry! Don't people rate members on this forum? My rating will carry a warning "never ask ShiroKuro about herself" kyaaaa :p

I'm a newbie also, and this forum is great. I spend most of my time here, everyone argues too much on the other forums! I've gotten a lot of good advice here, maybe someday I'll be able to offer some of my own!

ShiroKuro, welcome to you. I really enjoyed reading your last post. I would eventually like to play for people as well, have a few times but it was easier than now when greater things are expected. It is amazing what some people expect from a 1 year beginner, who do they think I am Liberace or something?

What part of Japan do you live in? I was born in Kamakura (my Mom is Japanese). We left Japan when I was 5. She's the only one I speak Japanese to, other than my Uncle in Yokohama whom I call usually on New Year's Day.

Are there any good music sheet stores near you? The reason I ask is that I tried to order something through Kinokuniya Bookstore locally and they were told the book is out of print, but I thought maybe there are some still around. It's by Yuriko Nakamura. I'll have to find out the name of the music book. If you think you may be able to help me find it. please privately email me. Thank you so much!

I love this forum too. There is so much helpful information and fun people.

Sleepingcats, I live on the island of Shikoku, kind of far from Kamakura.

There aren't really any good music stores in my town I usually get sheet music when I go up to the closest big city near here, which has both a Kinokuniya and a Yamaha music store, or when I visit the U.S.

Do you know the kanji for the name Yuriko, that would help (am assuming Nakamura is the standard one). Also, have you tried looking on AmazonJapan?